stearns



2 Sheets-Shet 1.

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0. S. STEARNS. LP ADJUSTING BEARING FOR GAR AXLES. No. 281, PatentedJuly 10, 1883-.

Fhukoljihngnpher. Wuh'mgton. D. v

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

v 1 0. TEARNS.

SELF ADJUSTIN ARING FOR GAR ES No. 281,157. Paten te 1y 10, 1883.

Nrrnn STATES OSCAR S. STEARNS, OF NEW YORK, N. I, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECTAND MESNE ASSIGXMENTS, TO THE STEARNS RAILWAY IMPROVEMTEN T COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK.

SELF-ADJUSTING BEARING FOR CAR-AXLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,157, dated July 10,1883.

Application filed December 52, 188i.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Osonn S. Srnnnns, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain Improvements in Self-Adj usting Bearingsfor Axles of Railway-Oars, 8.50., of which the following is aspecification. The obj ectof this invention is to prevent the lateralbinding of car-axles in their bearings, which, with the ordinaryaxle-boxes, occurs in IO turning or rounding curves, and which, from theinordinate friction produced, results not only in the heating of thejournal, but also in a large consumption of lubricating material, therapid wearing of the bearings, and the straining of the journals andadjacent part-s.

My invention is designed to obviate these drawbacks by providingefficient means for retaining the journal always in exact line with thebearing in which it works, irrespective of any twist, torsion, ordisplacement which may ordinarily be brought to bear upon the housing orshell of the journal-box.

To this end my said invention comprises certain novel combinations ofparts, whereby the 2 5 aforesaid result is effectually secured.

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view representing my saidinvention and taken in a plane coincident with the axis of the journal.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the housing which forms part of the apparatus.Fig. 3 is a front view and partial transverse section representing mysaid invention, the front portion of the said view being that of thepedestal and equalizingbar, while the other portions are indicated bythe sectional part which is taken in a plane at right angles to that ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the saddle which forms partof the said apparatus.

A is the axle, of whichB is the journal, the axle and its journal beingof the usual or any suitable construction or configuration.

G is the bearing, placed upon the journal B in the ordinary manner.

Dis the housing or shell of the axle-box, which may be of the usual orany suitable configuration, eXcept that at its'top it is chambered outor hollowed, as shown at a in Fig. l, the bottom of this chamber,however, being substantially flat and having formed in it four or morecavities, b, which may be of hemis- Renewed Juno 5, 1883. (No model.)

pherical shape, as shown in the drawings, or which may be of elongatedsemi-spheroidal or any other suitable form.

Placed over the bottom of the chamber ais a saddle, E, in the under sideof which are formed cavities 0, corresponding in shape and size to thecavities b, formed in the top of the housing, as hereinbefore explained,the cavities 0 being, furthermore, placed coincident and 3. Placed inthe cavities aforesaid, and consequently interposed between the saddle Eand the top of the housing D, are rollers F, which are preferably ofspherical form, but which may be of any other suitable shape.

It is to be understood that the parts are so proportioned and arrangedthat the rollers F keep the saddle E- out of contact with the bottom ofthe chamber a, so that the said saddle and any weight placed thereonwill be borne upon the rollers F, and the pressure of such weight willbe transmitted through said rollers to the top of the housing, andthence to the bearing 0, resting upon the journal B.

In the top of the saddle E is formed a squared socket, f, which receivesthe adjacent end of the equalizingbar G. The rollers F are soproportioned in size and shape to the size and shape of the cavities b cthat said rollers are capable of a rolling movement in any directionhorizontally.

Projecting laterally from the opposite sides of the lower part of thehousing D, and at the rear or inner end thereof, are studs m, which passbehind the adjacent rear or inner sur faces of the pedestal I, whichbestrides the housing in substantially the manner shown in Fig. 3. Thestuds m prevent the housing, together with the journal B and bearing C,850. from being thrown too far outward toward the 0 outer extremity ofthe said journal, and yet at the same time permit a slight longitudinalmovement of the parts, as is necessarily incident in the rounding ofcurves, &c. There is, moreover, a space left between the sides of thehousing and those of the pedestal, as shown in Fig. 3, in order topermit a swaying movement of the housing with reference to the pedestaland to the saddle whenever the exigencies of actual use shall requirethe same.

with the cavities b, as represented in Figs. L

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: In the turning of a curvein a track, or under any other conditions involving a lateral twist orwrenching of the parts rigidly affixed to the surface of the housing Dand its attached bearing 0 and journal B, the effect of such twist orwrench, instead of being transmitted to the housing D, and thence to thebearing 0, is nullified by the movement of the saddle E upon the rollersE, which prevent the transmission of such twisting or wrenching motionthrough or beyond the said rollers F, so that the bearing 0, being freefrom any such interference with its normal relation with the journal B,remains continually exactly in line with the Said journal, andconsequently in a position affording the smoothest and most perfectcontact therewith, thereby avoiding all undue wearing, heat-ing,abrasion, and other results of inordinate friction. This movement is ofa twisting or wrenching character, and is necessarily greatest at theouter end of the journal, or, in other words, at the outer end of thehousing, and least at the inner end of the latter.

It is to be observed, further, that while I have described the cavitiesb and c as of semispheroidal form, and have described the rollers F asof spherical shape, yet the said rollers may be of any other suitableconfiguration which will permit them to have a rotating orpartially-rotating movement when subjected to the action arising fromthe change of position of the saddle E and the housing D in relationwith each other, and in like manner the said cavities b and 0 may bemodified in form to suit the configuration of the rollers.

The saddle E and the top of the housing D may be made of cast metal,and, when desired, may be hardened by any of the methods known in thefounders art. The rollers F may be made of chilled cast-iron or ofhardened steel.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The housing D, extended around theaxle B and provided with the bearing 0, interposed between the upperpart of the said housing and the said axle, the saddle E, capable of alimited turning movement with reference to the housing D, and therollers F, placed between the saddle E and the top of the housing D, thesaid parts being constructed and arranged in relation witheach other toprevent the binding of the bearing 0 upon the axle B, all substantiallyas and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The housing D, constructed with the series of cavities b and extendedaround the axle B, the bearing- G, interposed between the top of thehousing and the axle, the saddle E, constructed with the series ofcavities c, placed above the housing D and capable of a limited turningmovement with reference thereto, and the rollers F, placed in thecoincident cavities b and c, the whole arranged for joint use andoperation, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

" 3. The combination of a saddle, E, constructed with a socket, f, theequalizingbar G, housing D, bearing 0, the journal B, and rollers F,interposed between the saddle E and the top of the housing D, allsubstantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The combination of the housing having the cavities b on its upperside and provided below with the studs m, the pedestal I, the saddle E,constructed with the cavities c, the rollers F, and equalizing-bar G,the whole arranged for joint use and operation, substantially as and forthe purpose herein set forth.

OSCAR S. STEARNS.

\Vitnesses:

THoMAs E.CROSSMA1\,. ROBERT W. MATTHEws.

